


In the Heart of Nature

by Leviice458



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alcoholic Sheriff Stilinski, Alpha Derek Hale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Aristocracy, Arranged Marriage, BAMF Derek Hale, BAMF Stiles, Dead Claudia Stilinski, Dead Cora Hale, Dead Laura Hale, Dead Peter Hale, Dead Talia Hale, Dead Vernon Boyd, Derek Hale Deserves Nice Things, F/F, F/M, First Dates, Flirting, Flower Crowns, Getting Together, Jewelry, Kissing, Leaving Home, M/M, Magic, Mates, Mild Gore, Pet Names, Politics, Princes & Princesses, Sexist Language, Sirens, Soulmates, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2019-11-01 13:01:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17867750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leviice458/pseuds/Leviice458
Summary: In a war waged long ago, a large utopia was split into several kingdoms in order to stop an evil force from destroying the lands. Now the evil force has regrouped and has planned on destroying each of the kingdoms’ lights. It’s up to small group to stop the ravaging of their lands and to overcome interpersonal differences between each other to stop total annihilation.





	1. A Quest for the Future

**Author's Note:**

> Ratings, characters, and tags are subject to change as the story expands and is updated and will be warned in the notes before the chapter. Also this was an idea I had a few years ago for an original book idea but I’m not super confident in my writing so I’m going to write the idea as a fic and see how well it goes.

Green light flashed across the Empire of Emerald. The light of the luminous emerald gave the Empire a phantasmal green glow. Plant life flourished in abundance, powered by the magic that the people have wielded for generations. Assortments of fresh autumn fruit were in bloom during this time of year; the harvest feast was coming up and Stiles was feeling upset by the upcoming proclamation of who would be chosen to go on the next expedition for supplies. 

As the most powerful mage of his generation there was a high chance that he would be chosen to do whatever the king bid him to do. His father wouldn’t care of his disappearance as the man had barely taken his face out of a pint since the death of his mother.

Stiles walked out of the small home he and his father lived in and made his way to the giant emerald for a quiet moment used to gather his thoughts. The loss of his mother still affected him to this day. When he watched the soul necklace break off his father’s neck, her magic had receded back into the earth as her body slowly withered away. He remembered the cloudy look in her eyes as she forgot who he was, as she tried to carve the demon out of him. His fingers lightly brushed over the scar that adorned his shoulder from the attack.

The large green gemstone always offered him solace when he talked to himself and he would sometimes rub the sleek surface in search of comfort. 

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle leaving the empire. These walls are all I’ve ever known. What if I get attacked? What if I never see my dad again? I mean sure he hasn’t given me the time of day for many seasons but how will I know he’s okay. What if he—” His quiet inquisitive whispers came to an end as the thoughts began to make tears come to his eyes. His cheek reddened and his throat felt constricted under the weight of his emotions. 

He gave the stone a simple stroking gesture as he gathered himself and returned back to his home. He would find out the answers to his questions tomorrow when the Emperor declared who was to leave the Empire for the journey ahead.

***

The festival was magnificent. The entire empire came together in a giant throng of people. In the marketplace fruit vendors were running out of stock as the giant food fight would begin to celebrate the new harvest season. The old summer fruits would be tossed at citizens and buildings for the next hour followed by the planting of the new crops. Little children darted around in painted faces and Stiles stood at his own small shop. He conjured small flower crowns for the little tykes that would run by him. 

In the evening, the Emperor began his meeting in the town square surrounded by the royal guard.  

_ “As you all have heard, there is to be a quest issued forth by myself. However, the details about what you will be doing have had their fair share of rumors. I will be choosing a champion from our kingdom to join an ambassador from each of the other royal lands in order to finally destroy the country of onyx that wants to further destroy our way of life. They wish to steal all the light from each of our lands and make us brittle and broken. As our fair empire is the closest to their own, we will likely be the first target…” _

His royalty continued to drone on while Stiles’ brain ran rampant. He had heard of the onyx country before, but only in his history books where he thought they had long been disbanded by the seven kingdoms of light during the first war all of those years ago. Stiles’ heart was racing and his mind was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

_ “I have decided that our champion will be Stiles Stilinski, son of the head of my royal guard and one of the strongest natural mages in our empire. Wear your title as the champion of the Emerald Empire with pride as you venture out to defeat this dark foe.” _

Stiles slowly treaded towards the stage, numb to the cheers of his fellow people. He feigned a smile for the audience surrounding him. His dad presented him with gifts from the emperor to aide him on his journey. 

_ “I have bestowed these gifts to you in remembrance of who you are fighting for: two one-handed scythes that will aide in your fight and a few packets of seeds to use in areas sparse of plant life. There is also a rolled up map of the land in your bag. You should begin your journey by meeting the Ruby ambassador inside the Ruby Kingdom. He will help you against foes that wish to harm you on the journey.” _

“Thank you for these gracious gifts and the title you’ve given me. I will do this empire proud and work with the others to bring down the brutes of the country of Onyx.” Stiles spoke out with volume and clarity that overshadowed his nerves and doubt.

_ “Prepare your things to set out tomorrow morning and serve us proud, dear boy.” _ The Emperor finished with a slight pat to Stiles’ right shoulder. He walked out of the town square surrounded by the guard, his dad marching along with them and leaving Stiles all alone in his walk home to prepare for his time away from everything he’s ever known.

***

It took him an hour to pack due to not having many belongings to begin with. He was still surprised the Emperor ended up picking him despite knowing he was the most likely candidate for any quest due to his magic abilities. Most of his fellow mages could raise saplings or make soil more fertile, whereas Stiles had the ability to have complete control over plants. He had even been able to change their properties if he was able to concentrate long enough. He had always treasured having the ability to nurture and raise plants out of such small seeds.

Meeting the guards at the south gate of the empire was unsettling. He had grown up around these people and leaving was very difficult for him. His scythes laid in their sheaths strapped to his sides. The small carrier sack held his map and a few of the extra seed packets he wanted to bring for himself of some of the crops he enjoyed the most.

“I’m going to miss you all.” Stiles hugged the guards with tears in his eyes as they opened the gate for him.

“We’ll miss you too, be safe out there.” They waved to him as he began to walk out of the empire and into the neighboring forest.


	2. Forest of Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to @lavenderlotion and @Delightful_I_am for helping me edit this fic and cheering me along the way.

Birds sang happy tunes as they flew out of the trees in the early morning light. The flora was beautiful as flowers bloomed around Stiles. His  magic was becoming uncontrollable with the anxiety he felt from being outside of the  empire ’s walls for the first time; he was happy to serve his  empire but it was nerve-wracking to be so alone out in the wilderness. Stiles began weaving himself a  flower crown for comfort, the  colors of the flowers and the lightweight of the stems wrapping around his head grounded him. 

He would never be alone as long as he had plants to comfort him.

Stiles walked deeper into the  forest ,  marveling at all the wildlife he came across. He had lost sight of the  empire ’s gates a long time ago, his fingers reaching up to twiddle with the crown on his head.  

The sky began to change  colors , the blue fading away as pinks and orange hues were painted across it. Stiles made a small pit in the ground and found some kindling to build a fire with for his night in the woods. Stiles grew a bed of flowers to lay against and was beginning to get comfortable with their soothing aroma when a loud roar pierced the air. 

With his scythes at his side and  flower crown resting atop his  disheveled hair, Stiles made his way deeper into the  forest .

***

Fog collected above the ground like a lazy  specter . Dense white clouds hovered atop the ground as Stiles walked deeper into the  forest . 

“Stiles, where are you?” An all too familiar female voice called out.

“Where’s my sweet little  _ mischief _ ?” His mother’s ghostly voice echoed across the ghastly fog.

It couldn’t be real. His mother had died years ago. The haunted memory of that rainy day made tears well in his eyes. They burned hot as they streamed freely from his eyes as he stumbled through the fog in a desperate search for her voice. 

Stiles kept calling out his mother’s name, piles of her  favorite flowers pilling around his feet as he walked through the thick fog. He had a few close calls with trees while trudging across the ground in anguish. The light of fire danced somewhere amongst the fog like a wisp. Stiles moved towards the fire, tears drying off his face as he walked in the flame’s direction. 

“This way mischief...come towards me,” his mother’s voice cooed.

Stiles let his tears fall again but sluggishly continued to walk towards the flame that was growing ever brighter.

“Stop following that flimsy light and find me,” she snapped, her tone becoming more demanding.

He pushed forwards despite all of his inner want to see his mom, but he knew she was dead and something must be playing tricks on him. 

“I can’t... y -you’re not real.” Stiles wiped at his eyes and kept his face angled towards the flickering flame. 

A loud cackle came from his left as he tripped over a large root. Flames shot from his left and the fog vanished from the wave of heat that blistered behind the inferno. Stiles stumbled towards the clearing; he saw a roaring river, but he had no other choice but to attempt to cross it, and hopefully, the creatures stalking him wouldn’t follow.

The river’s current was moving extremely fast: if he didn’t tread carefully he could drown. Stiles thought about trying to get the grass to stretch across the river and make a bridge but he didn’t have the time to concentrate for that long. He decided to wade into the river using the river weeds as pillars to help him resist the stream’s power. 

“Silly mage, you’ve fallen right into my trap,” a ghoulish voice cackled in the same shrill laugh he heard earlier.

Stiles pushed onwards and was soon reaching the other end of the river. His legs felt like jelly from resisting the current and using his  magic to get across. 

The ground began to shake as a house rose up out of the earth. Gigantic, thin, warty legs climbed into the air, the house held on top of them. Two sets of three talons spanned across the ground with another acting as a giant spike behind each ankle. Reddish brown plumage covered the top of the giant chicken legs. 

“You’ve stumbled upon my home, now you must die!” A feminine voice screeched. 

An elderly woman emerged from across the river. Her feet floated slightly above the rapids as she stared Stiles down. He had heard stories of the murderous old witch in front of him, but they paled in comparison to the actual sight of Baba Yaga. Her skin was covered in boils and blisters, her back was hunched over in an unnatural shape. She peered at him with one glossy eye, the other hidden by her long, ratty, strung-out hair. 

His heart was racing as sweat broke out across his skin. She floated closer towards him and Stiles had to try and get over his  fears of the powerful witch. He concentrated on the grass near Baba’s feet, the grass began to grow and twirl under the  magic he wielded. The blades of grass wrapped around the hag’s feet, binding her to the ground while more grassy chains clamped against her arms.

The shadow of a giant chicken foot encompassed the ground surrounding Stiles and he dove to the side, as the foot smashed the ground where Stiles previously stood. He needed to take care of the house before he could focus on the witch. He needed more resources if he wanted to take out the house because the grass just wouldn’t be able to do the job.

Stiles sprinted towards the  forest , he used his  magic to raise the grass below him into a temporary staircase to get into the canopy of the trees. He jumped from tree to tree, creating space between him and the cursed house. In the tops of the trees, he could see the house was slightly below him and heading his way. The weight of the seed packets in his pocket became more pronounced in his awkward position in the treetop. 

He opened one of the seed packets and started to ingest the seeds for a power boost. Baba Yaga severed the last of her restraints and flew into the front of the house. The house then began to pick up speed as it lurched towards his vantage spot. Stiles began to picture the branches of the trees as spikes, the trees bending to his will as the elongated and twisted into giant spires, the leaves bristling into jagged blades along the wooden spikes. 

The house hit the beginning of the  forest . Trees crumpled under the force and the house emanated a loud screech as the legs were slit open. Blood gushed out of the wounds and the house began to slow down as its injured legs stumbled and spun against the deadly  forest . In a tumultuous crash, the house imploded when it hit the ground. A horrible screeching echoed throughout the  forest as Baba Yaga rose from out of the rubble, a bloodthirsty gaze locking onto Stiles up in the trees. 

“You will pay dearly for destroying my house, filthy mage. Oh, the ways that I will prolong your suffering, the whimpers and screams you’ll make will be music to my ears.”

She rose into the air, a small dagger hung in her decrepit hand as she rapidly approached Stiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos appreciated  
> Follow my Tumblr @leviice458


	3. A Lonesome Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> See Derek's past and some of the Ruby Kingdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for leaving Stiles on a cliffhanger. (You'll see him next chapter though)

_ In the Past: _

_ The skeletons marched on the house, tearing it apart brick by brick as waves of them kept coming. Bony hands grabbed a hold of his mother, her shrieks muffled under the clattering army. His sisters tried to escape but they were pulled into the masses as well, flesh flying under the malicious fingers of the skeletal army. He held onto his father as he cried, but the army of the undead kept coming after them, even after their house had fallen.  _

_ A mass of skeletons caught up to them and in the last moment, his father flung him to safety. “Run Derek!” He screamed as he was dragged into the middle of the deadly throng. Derek cried as he ran; he had to find safety.  _

_ In the Present: _

The Ruby Kingdom had felt like home to Derek ever since the incident. When his family had died at the hands of the Onyx country, the alpha spark had passed down from his mother to him. The dead pack bonds hurt him and his wolf deeply and only the alpha spark kept him from becoming entirely feral. His sneering and aggressive attitude left most people feeling intimidated by him until a kindly old mage asked him to do a mission for him. If Derek completed the mission for the elderly woman she would teach him how to use fire magic so Derek readily agreed. 

The mission was arduous and time-consuming. The monster was excellent at camouflage and very difficult to track down causing him to work on being a better wolf. By the time he had slain the creature, it had been a full year since he had left the Ruby Kingdom. The elderly woman began to teach him the basics of fire magic after he handed her the creature’s skin. 

Word got around and he had quickly developed a reputation as being a bounty hunter after completing the old woman’s quest. His favorite weapon was his wolf, nothing made him feel more powerful than fighting with his teeth and claws. Sometimes he liked to walk around town in his beta-shift, which made a lot to make people scared to talk to him. Derek only wanted to do his job and be left alone with his thoughts.

Lost in thought, Derek ignored how far into the Kingdom he had gotten and found himself in the middle of the marketplace. Shopkeepers were haggling with customers all around him as the busy morning crowd buzzed with life. He glanced up when he thought he heard somebody calling to him.

“Sir, are you the famous bounty hunter for the kingdom? You look a lot like him if you are not him,” A man behind a jewelry booth said with a slight lilt in his voice upon seeing Derek’s face. 

“Yes, that’s me. What do you want?” He growled. His beta shift scared the man, much to Derek’s pleasure.

“I’m having a slight problem receiving products from one of my vendors. I paid the man a while ago for some priceless jewelry and have yet to receive any of it. Would you mind making sure I get my money back or the product I paid for?” The merchant asked with a look of desperation on his face. “I’ll even pay you with this soul necklace. It’s supposed to help you find a special someone and symbolize your relationship with them. You do look a bit lonely.” The man kept smiling at him even though he was sweating profusely and not just from the heat.

“Fine. I’ll do it and I’ll take the necklace as a reward but don’t think it’s because you know me.” Derek flashed his fangs at the shopkeep for good measure, annoyed that the man seemed to easily read him.

The merchant described that the man lived on the western side of the kingdom near the water which would take Derek about a three-hour walk. Derek reached down and grabbed the necklace to the shopkeeper’s protest and headed towards his new destination with a grimace on his face.

***

Gorgeous adobes lined the streets, the glow of the giant ruby radiating red light across them making the compact structure look pink. The smaller homes always comforted him, and the simplicity of them always brought him comfort. People living in the small adobes were always nicer towards him than the aristocrats in the kingdom who sometimes went as far as to spit on him. 

The further he traveled west in the kingdom the more developed the houses became, intrinsic, stained glass windows glowed in the afternoon light. While the exteriors were beautiful, he knew the monsters who dwelled within them. 

Beautiful moonlight painted the mansions of the west side. It twinkled across the waves of the ocean, the gentle crashing soothing him. He came upon the massive home the merchant had described to him. As Derek walked closer to the door, a hooded figure carrying a large bag came out of it. The smell of blood permeated the air, Derek quietly followed after the robber. 

Derek was happy that he had an enhanced sense of smell because the thief was able to blend in well to their surroundings. He trailed the perpetrator into the King’s castle, avoiding every guard, the thief crept closer towards the king’s living quarters. 

It was too late for Derek to roar because if the vandal escaped Derek would take the fall. He watched as the thief drew out a dagger before setting it on fire, the dim flame dancing menacingly against the blade. Derek raced towards the thief, the hooded man shouting in surprise as claws pierced his sides. Grabbing onto the would-be assassin's other hand, Derek removed the blade and extinguished its flame as the King began to wake up.

“What’s going on in here?” Eyes blinked slowly at him as Derek stilled.

“Sir, this man just tried to kill you in your sleep but I took care of him. You might want to get better security though, the guards didn’t see either of us and we snuck past majority of them.” Derek growled out as he dropped the limp body to the floor, the thud startling the King into waking up.

The King, upon gazing down at the scene, broke out in a thin sheet of sweat. He looked up at Derek, whose face was still partially shifted, in pure horror. He let out a shrill scream and soon the guards rushed into the bedroom.

“How have you all let these two intruders enter my bedroom?” Venom laced throughout his gravelly voice, his face turning as red as a ruby. 

“We don’t know sir,” one of the guards voiced, sweat forming on his face as his skin paled.

“You don’t know. YOU DON’T KNOW! You are supposed to be protecting me and luckily this manbeast here protected me. You are all going to be severely punished for this act of ignorance. Now get out of my bedroom, I have other matters to discuss,” the King said as he sent the guards out of the room with a wave of his hand.

“Thank you for saving my life, however, I have one other request for you. Seeing as you certainly have the strength and prowess worthy of any champion, I would like for you to accept the title as  _ Champion of the Ruby Kingdom _ and challenge the Onyx country in our name. The kingdom will also reward you greatly upon your return should you choose to accept.”

Derek feigned to mull it over, already knowing his decision. 

“I’ll accept the title as the  _ Champion of the Ruby Kingdom _ .” His voice was deep with the thought of vengeance. He would make sure his family hadn’t died in vain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos greatly appreciated   
> (Love to have/hear feedback) :)


	4. A Beautiful Spark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry for not posting for the past two weeks. My mother died, my family disowned me, and my boyfriend got diagnosed with cancer. But this helps me deal with my grief and I like being able to get content out. Thank you all so much for reading this, sorry for the wait.

The king told Derek that he would need to go search out the champion from the Emerald Empire who should have already arrived in the Ruby Kingdom. 

“The best route to travel is to go north into the desert and then travel through the forested area until you reach the Emerald Empire. Maybe then those  _ greenies _ will have their shit together.”  The king finished as Derek walked out of the throne room. Rushing back home for some much-needed rest.

The sun was blinding as he left the castle. His head casted downwards, Derek continued to walk along the bustling street corners. In the market square, the jeweler quickly called him over as Derek was walking towards the blacksmith’s stand.

“I dealt with your conman, you shouldn’t have any more problems,” Derek growled out as he continued to stalk towards the stall with all the weaponry.

“Thank you!”

Derek stopped in front of the rack of swords and began browsing over them incredulously, looking for flaws in the craftsmanship. The steel looked strong and fashioned into a very fine and sharp blade. His reflection shown in the blade’s shine, the small ruby embedded into the hilt giving it an intimidating red glare. 

“How much for the sword?” The glint of it casting a bloodthirsty shadow over Derek’s face.

“A few rubies and a gold piece.” The blacksmith gruffed out, his eyes belying his fear.

Red gemstones and the gold coin were passed across the wooden stand and Derek slung the sheathed sword around his back, the hilt within grabbing range.

***

The hot sand made soft crunches under his feet as he strolled through the northern desert.  Heat sweltered around him as he trudged across the familiar land, sweat cascaded down his skin as visions of a forest entered his view.

A cool breeze swept from the forest as the sounds of trees crackling and crashing against the earth boomed and echoed throughout the woods. Leaves rustled as he ran towards the possible danger ahead of him, a high pitched cackling rang out the closer Derek got to the commotion. Another tree fell down in front of him, he could see the clearing in sight, a witchy old woman flew across the sky, the light of a dagger illuminating a young man. 

The guy was lithe with short, brown hair and had a mesmerizing face. He seamlessly drawled out two scythes and intercepted the woman’s dagger and began to wrestle it out of her hand. In a flash of movements, the boy had the witch’s neck wrapped in the hook of his scythe while her dagger flew out her hand from the other scythe. 

“Alright witch, this ends now!” The boy roared venomously as he slashed through her neck, her head falling down to the ground below cracking in a sickening thunk.

The man descended from the treetops floating down on a mat of leaves and flower petals, his feet graced the ground as the petals and leaves flew back to their origins in an ethereal fashion. Moonlight gleamed off his pale skin and Derek gulped audibly causing honey brown eyes to turn towards him.

He was a sinful beauty, Derek watched him decapitate the hag and yet he looked gorgeous despite the light blood splatter caking the left side of his face. The ruby necklace around his neck heating up as the other man touched the ground.

“You can come out of the forest, I know that you’re there, the violet flowers to you’re left told me.” He said with absolute certainty.

Derek walked out into the clearing, his wolf wanting to lay claim to this otherworldly beautiful man. The necklace was letting out an intense soothing heat the closer he got to the man.

“Are you the ambassador from the Emerald Empire?” Derek gruffed out, his voice an octave lower than normal.

The man in front of him seemed to visibly squirm underneath the sound of his voice and the spicy scent of arousal permeated the air. Derek felt on the verge of losing control but reigned it in as he stretched out his hand towards his beautiful new journeyman. Gentle fingers touched his hand before clasping his hand with a firm handshake and a small smile.

“Hi, I’m Stiles. Ambassador from the Emerald Empire, I’m assuming you’re the ambassador of the Ruby kingdom.”

“Yes that’s me, I’m Derek.”

“So Derek, which way to the Ruby kingdom or the nearest stream,” Stiles smiled up at him, letting go of Derek’s hand and walking towards him.

Derek’s breath hitched as Stiles strode past him, going in the direction Derek just walked out of.

“Well, are you coming or not?” Stiles batted his eyelashes back at Derek as he turned around to find the man still gawking at him.

“This blood is starting to dry and I’d like to get cleaned up.” Stiles rubbed at his face with a small piece of his tunic which only served to smear some of the droplets in.

Derek calmed himself down as he started to walk towards Stiles. Derek passed in front of Stiles as he led him towards the desert that they would have to cross before making it to the Ruby kingdom.

“Alright little sprout, no need to get ahead of yourself. Don’t worry, I’ll light the way for you.” Derek teased as he conjured a small flame from his claws and led the way back through the forest and towards the Ruby kingdom.

***

Night fell over the land, cool desert air blew through their thin tunics. Stiles shuddered behind Derek as his breath began to leave ghastly clouds whenever his teeth chattered. 

“C-C-Ca-Can we stop real quick, It’s really cold. I just n-n-need a minute to concentrate.” Stiles rattled out in stuttered breaths.

Derek turned around to look at Stiles, he knew that if they didn’t get out of the desert soon the desert creatures would begin to roam in search for food. Stiles clothes began to shimmer in front of him, the fabric becoming thicker and dense. He stopped shivering as soon as the shimmering stopped and a jacket enveloped him.

“There, much better. Do you want a ja—”

The sand around them began to shift as a stridulating sound pierced the air. A large stinger came over the ridge of the dune in front of them, large pinchers snapping at them. Eight black eyes stared at them, as the stinger launched at them with frightening speeds.

“Shit we’re too late.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos appreciated <3


	5. Into the Deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get to know Lydia and the Sapphire Queendom.  
> Shoutout to @lavenderlotion for helping me edit this :)

_ “She’s just a loser, the only reason she’s allowed in the castle is that the queen is her mother. That woman was never fit to rule, anyway,” mumbled a noble girl, her lips shaped into a pout and her shoulders slumped downward. _

_ “She always thinks she smarter than everyone else because she’s in the library the most. I heard she isn’t actually that intelligent and that her mother just pays off the teachers.”One of the boys chastized as he walked past the courtyard. _

_ “Luckily the next election could go differently if her majesty falls out of favor, the old hag, she’s just so wretched and modern. I’m telling you the old days we’re so much better, none of these atrocities would happen if we had a male ruler.,” an older lord said in passing, the teens trailing behind him. _

Lydia’s heart sank as her peers walked by her. They all hated her but her mother was a fair woman and took into account Lydia’s recommendations in the diplomatic relationships of the Sapphire Queendom. They prided themselves on their maritime economy and their intelligence in handling the water magic that seeped out of the Sapphire crystal in the middle of their land. Although, lately there seemed to be a lot of political unrest and that made her very anxious as she was the next in line to rule.

As a young girl, she was never interested in being a damsel nor an elitist. Her mother allowed her to study with the fishermen and women in town to help her control her water magic and perfect her weapon training. The lightweight staff and long reach made Lydia feel comfortable in her ability to dominate the battlefield using her harpoon. Ever since she had first held the weapon in her hands, Lydia had treasured it.

The sapphire staff held a beautiful royal blue glow as she thrust it into the target, the blade embedding itself deep into the fabric. Tomorrow, she would set out to meet with the Siren Queen and ask her if they could allow a minuscule amount of fishermen to fish in their territory. With a sigh, she left the training area and began to walk towards the royal library for some solace. 

She strode into the library, waving to the librarian on her way to the diplomatic treaties. Few people knew the library as well as she did and even fewer studied diplomacy as much as she did. She had been researching about sirens for weeks leading up to the meeting and wanted to approach their queen with respect. 

“So what is my brilliant daughter reading today?” The queen’s gentle voice chimed as her mother approached her. “Come on Lyds, you have read everything and anything we know about the sirens as well as traditional royal mannerisms. You are very wise and I know that you will do and say what is best for this queendom. The Sapphire queendom and I will always be proud of you, darling dearest.” Her mother’s hand cupped her face before pulling Lydia into a hug.

“Thanks, mom, I love you so much,” Lydia breathed out, letting the nerves out and taking a calming breath to collect herself.

“Anytime, my sweet girl.” Her mother patted her shoulder as she strode back out the library, leaving Lydia to continue to research about the new agreement.

***

The ship crashed against the waves as Lydia paced around the deck, going over different outcomes of the agreement. They careened back and forth as the tumultuous waters became more intense, the waves much larger as they approached the Siren’s territory. An ominous fog settled over the water, the sea becoming a deep black color. Ghastly voices sang to the tune of the crashing waves.

Lydia could envision everything she ever wanted to be in the tune of the song. The crew gathered around her, listening to the siren song that was becoming louder and more beautiful with each passing second. A deep sound resonated within Lydia and she opened up her mouth and sang back to them. Her water magic aided in the song she sang back to the sirens. Their voices were soon drowned out by her own as the ship ran aground on a sandy shore within the siren territory.

“My my what a beautiful voice you have, my dear. If I hadn’t known it was you, I would’ve mistaken you for one of my own,” a melodic voice seeped around her and the crew.

“Your majesty,” Lydia curtsied, “Thank you for such a gracious compliment.”

“Your formality is appreciated, princess Martin. Now if you could follow my guards to the throne room, I will await your company. Also, should you need assistance in controlling the waters just ask the royal guards.” The queen’s tail flicked as she dove into the dark waters surrounding them.

***

Beautiful nautilus shells adorned the throne room, with bioluminescent jellyfish lighting the entire room in a multicolored flare. The throne was constructed from bones of all different species, a deadly adornment showing just how deadly the gorgeous sirens could be. With a deep breath and a small gulp, Lydia began her speech for the queen.

“Your majesty, as princess of the Sapphire queendom, I ask for allowance that our fishers be able to fish safely in your territory that faces our queendom and that we can open up further trading with your people from this agreement,” Lydia concluded as she awaited the queen’s response. Her skin felt clammy despite being this far underwater. Her magic offered her some comfort but her anxiety made it feel like she could hardly breathe.

“Princess Martin, that was very eloquently put, however, our territory is our own as well as our hunting grounds. We made the last treaty with your queendom a few years ago that we would no longer use our songs to hunt the fishermen that came to close. Would the queendom eventually try to encroach upon more of our territory should you all need more space to fish?” 

“Your majesty, we have no reason to fish in all of your territories., We would only like to be able to fish out of a small part of your territory that faces your northern border. If there are any trades that can be further opened between our two queendoms, we would accept graciously.”

“Alright, I will agree to this trade and freer borders agreement under one condition,”

“What would that be—”

“I would like for you to learn more about how to use the siren song. I heard you out there, princess, and I offer personal guidance and lessons so you can turn this gift into an asset.”

“Why would you want to help me, your majesty?” Lydia asked, her heart racing as she looked towards the queen of the sirens in search of answers.

“Because my dear princess, I think it would give us some time to further understand our queendoms newest agreement as well as give myself some time to get to know some of the Sapphire queendoms royalty better,” The queen said with a wink causing Lydia to blush.

“Send word to my mother that I will be staying here for a week to train with the queen on how to improve my magic,” Lydia said sternly as she walked towards the siren queen.

“This is going to be absolutely lovely. Is there anything you would like for dinner, princess.? The queen asked as she wrapped her arm around Lydia’s shoulder to guide her towards the inner part of the castle. Chatting lightly as they continued to walk towards what Lydia assumed was the dining area, Lydia watched as her crew swam out of the castle and towards the surface.


	6. A Sea of Treachery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for posting late but I hope you all enjoy this chapter my personal life just got in the way again. I love and appreciate all feedback so feel free to leave comments and thank you all for reading this :)

The siren queen had Lydia training during the days, getting her used to singing at the right pitch and frequency to adjust the power of the siren song. Lydia would blush at the praises the queen sang to allow of her consorts about Lydia’s growth and performances. They would sing together on the beaches, other sirens joining in to make a beautiful cacophony of haunting voices. 

“My dear princess, I’m afraid that we must send you back to the Sapphire queendom.” The queen said solemnly as she swept a stray piece of hair off of Lydia’s face. The casual intimacy had grown between the two ever since her visit roughly a month ago.

“Queen Serah, it has been an absolute privilege to stay here and learn from you.” Lydia blushed as she used the Queen’s name. So little people would be able to talk so casually to the queen of the sirens.

“My darling jewel, you make me blush. I will miss seeing your beautiful face and your wonderful mind every day. I wish we had more time together.”

“I’ll miss you, Ser.” Lydia embraced the queen she had come to care for and love over the month she had spent with her.

“Go my darling and maybe one day we could rule together.” Serah kissed Lydia’s cheek as she gestured for Lydia to swim up to the surface.

Lydia hated the idea of leaving the queen and with small tears in her eyes, she began to swim towards the surface, promising herself that she would come back to her new found love.

***

The Sapphire queendom felt colder and more stoic than Lydia ever remembered it being, it didn’t have the same warmth that the sirens had been surrounded in. Her magic missed being in the water and she missed seeing Serah’s face in the early morning light when they sang together. Serah’s soft smile making Lydia blush as they worked on perfecting her control over the siren song.

She walked through the market square with a small smile on her face from the happy memory, a warm comforting feeling settling inside her. 

Guards began to surround Lydia as she finished buying a small pastry from a vendor.

“Princess Martin, the queen has requested your presence in the royal court at once. We are here to escort you to the palace.”

“My mother has never asked of this before. I demand to know why she has asked for presence specifically and as to why the matter is so important as to stop me from walking around the marketplace.” Lydia humphed as she questioned the guards. Worry sparked in the back of her mind as she recalled all the negative talk from the nobles before her business treaty with the sirens.

Instead of answering the guards marched her towards the royal palace with her crying out in distress from the crudeness shown towards her by the guards. They marched past the gates and into the royal throne room before pushing her in front of the queen.

“Mother, why did our guards force me here against my will and treat me with such rudeness.” Lydia huffed out as she looked up at the woman she presumed to be her mother from the ground.

“Because I told them to. As a noble from the Onyx country, I was given word that the queen was refusing to meet with us and ‘discuss’ the deals we wanted to make with this wretched queendom. But your precious mother refused to meet with us, calling us violent terrorists. Well, I bet that hag will meet with us if we have some ‘incentive’ to give her. Don’t you think?” The miserable woman gloated.

Lydia refused to go down without a fight, she would not become a damsel in distress. She began to hum lightly before the haunting melody of her siren song began to affect the mysterious mistress in front of her and the traitorous guards. 

Her song made them see their most desired scene as she drew out her harpoon from underneath her outfit. She sang softly as she danced in mesmerizing display knocking out the guards one by one before skewering the woman who pretended to be her mother. As the villainous woman’s blood ran amongst the marble floor, Lydia began to quiet her singing before leaving the courtroom in search of her mother. 

***

“We need to send an ambassador my queen, Emerald and Ruby have already sent theirs and we have yet to find somebody who is worthy of carrying the title of our queendom. I think that Kate would be the best bet. She is waiting inside the courtroom talking it over with Lydia as we speak.” A man said as Lydia walked towards her mother’s quarters.

“Fine, I’ll trust your judgment and I’ll talk with this Kate woman and my daughter in order to figure out who will be the ambassador of our lovely queendom. Now, Mr. Whittemore would you please leave my room.” The queen gestured for him to leave with a frustrated sigh, while Lydia walked in.

“Was that Kate woman the one who just tried to hold me for ransom and had our own guards kidnap me from the marketplace. The one who said she was from the Onyx country.” Lydia hurled the accusation, knowing that everything she said was already true.

“Is this true, Mr. Whittemore?” The queen asked incredulously, her eyes full of shock and anger.

“N-N-No trust me I would never go against the queendom.”

“Nobody said you were.” Lydia challenged him.

Mr. Whittemore gulped, sweat began to form around his hairline as his hair stood on end.

“Mr. Whittemore for committing treason against the queendom, I will be sentencing you to jail until I can further hear the rest of your case and how this issue came about. We will send a trusted guard to console your family and tell them the news. I’m sorry it has to be like this, I can’t believe you would do this to me.” The queen dismissed him as the guards came in and brought him towards the dungeon.

“I’m so sorry that you had to go through all that. I should’ve been there to help you,” Her mother looked down in shame as she hugged her daughter.

“It’s okay mother, I just kind of wish I wasn’t in this situation. I really just miss Serah and our time together.” Her body going slack in her mother’s embrace. Lydia could just imagine her and Serah singing together and laughing over dinner.

“You really love her don’t you, darling.” Her mother patted her as she turned to look at Lydia wiping tears off her daughter’s face. “If you could be the ambassador for the Sapphire queendom along with Mr. Whittemore’s son Jackson because he has proven himself worthy. I will also grant you amnesty and permission to marry queen Serah and you can bestow your birthright onto somebody else.”

“I’ll accept but only because I know that you’ll need me as an ambassador and that you would have granted everything else for my happiness,” Lydia smirked as she gave her mother one last hug.


	7. Shifting Sands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personal life got in my way and it's finals season at my college so I'm very sorry for the late update and I will be updating more frequently in May so thank you all being patient with me

The stinger launched towards Stiles at blinding speed, Derek threw himself in front of Stiles as fast as he could. He braced for the pain of the stinger, expecting the burn of poison entering his bloodstream, but the pain never came. Derek opened his eyes to a thrashing scorpion in front of him, the severed tail lying in the sand to their right. Stiles was crouched against the ground, his scythes out in front of him in a position that resembled an assassin. 

“How did you do that? There is no way that you should have been able to do that,” Derek walked around in complete astonishment while keeping track of the scorpion's movements. Soon he was back to back with Stiles’ as the scorpion hustled around them, snapping its pinchers menacingly.

“I’ve been practicing with scythes with the royal guards ever since I could hold them. I know exactly what I’m doing,” Stiles grinned as he watched the scorpion growing closer towards them. 

With its stinger severed, the scorpion hissed as its pinchers snapped at Stiles. Even though he knew Stiles’ could defend himself, Derek howled and blasted fire from his hands in the span of seconds the inferno had charred the creature to a burnt out husk.

“That certainly was surprising. I was not expecting you to be such a firecracker. I really appreciated the war cry it added to the dramatic effect.” Stiles snickered as Derek turned to face him.

Derek’s eyes were as red as the fire that incinerated the monstrous insect in front of them. Claws protruding from his fingernails and fangs sticking out of his mouth. Stiles took an audible gulp as Derek strode toward him, his features becoming softer and more human as he came closer.  

“I think I like you better when you’re silent, little sap,” Derek whispered into Stiles' ear as his body shivered despite the heat of the desert. Derek patted Stiles on the shoulder as he continued to walk towards the Ruby kingdom. Stiles stared at Derek as the man got further away from him, a mischievous smile on his face as he found an unfamiliar emotion bursting through his chest. He ran to catch up to Derek wanting to get to know the man better as they journeyed towards Derek’s home.

***

The Ruby kingdom was nothing like Stiles expected, the fire fanatics didn’t have the best reputation in the Emerald empire because of the fear they invoked. A lot of the farmers were worried that the hot-tempered fire mages would destroy their crops if they were angered. But, the people here reminded him of his home and the stereotype seemed to be nothing but a rumor.

Torches lit the city, as people bustled around the marketplace. The noises reminded Stiles of the marketplace in the Emerald empire when the vendors would first open up their shops. He found the noise comforting and made him a little homesick but his entire country was relying on him, so he continued following Derek with a little more determination in his step.

“Where are we going, hot stuff,” Stiles asked with a smirk as Derek spun to look at him.

Derek backs him against one of the adobe’s walls and leaned in close to him.

“Did I make you all hot and bothered, Der-bear,” Stiles teased his tongue darting out and swiping his bottom lip in a teasing notion. His honey eyes staring at Derek with a heat that could rival the desert. 

Derek was so tempted to ravage him, the little sprite called to his wolf-like no other and he wanted Stiles as his own. It had been so long since he felt happiness and longing like this that he wanted to hold on to it for as long as he could. The necklace in his pocket growing warmer as he neared Stiles and his wolf wanted to stake his claim. He cupped the back of Stiles’ neck lightly as he tilted Stiles’ head up towards him. His lips brushed against Stiles’ in a light press before a light moan from Stiles made him want more. He would’ve kept kissing Stiles longer, feeling the delicious taste that only Stiles could have if he hadn’t heard wolf whistles from some of the surrounding people.

“What was that for, not that I’m complaining.” Stiles smiled lightly as he stared up at Derek, his scent radiated lust and happiness and Derek was indulging in the wonderful scent coming from his mate.  _ MATE _ . The realization startled Derek but also made him extremely happy to know the little sprout was all his. 

“You looked amazing like that and I guess I couldn’t resist.” He leaned towards Stiles again for another small kiss before they continued to move towards the docks. “Let’s get moving little sprout.”

***

The docks were empty when they arrived. Very few of the dock workers were out and most of the boats were gone. All that was left were some small dinghies that looked weathered down and almost unusable. 

“C’ mon there has got to be some better ships that we can take instead of these horrid little things,” Derek growled as he stalked towards one of the dock workers, shoulders hunched as his fangs and claws came out.

A small pull on his shoulder had him whirling around. Stiles wasn’t even scared by the intimidating face Derek felt like he had on.

“Relax sourwolf, I can fix the ship up nice for us. Could you give me a few minutes before attacking one of the dock workers?”

“What can you do? Don’t you just know how to grow some plants or make corn taste better?”

“Okay, Mr. Judgemental. You’re gonna eat your words in a just a few minutes and I expect a nice apology, maybe a nice date before our next make-out session.” Stiles smirked as he turned towards the dinghy in front of them, a green light emanating from his hands.

The wood of the ship began repairing itself and strengthening under Stiles’ magic. The fabric of the sails began mending itself together.

“So any color that you want for the sails, fireboy?” Stiles smirked as he looked at Derek with a taunting look in his eyes that Derek just wanted to kiss off his face.

“I think it would look really nice if you would just hurry up and finish the repairs and maybe I can give you a better reward than just a date,” Derek smirked back, challenging Stiles and then laughing at Stiles audible gulp and scenting a bit of arousal and embarrassment. 

After a few moments of amicable silence, Stiles finished all the repairs on their small ship and they began to set sail for the Sapphire queendom in search of the next ambassador to help them on their quest to vanquish the Onyx country.


	8. Meet the group

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone meets each other and Stiles and Derek have a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. I hope everyone enjoys the update and get ready to meet a new character next chapter because the group is going somewhere new. I should be updating again this week :)

Jackson sat out in front of his home in the Sapphire queendom as he watched his father get taken away by the royal guard. He knew that his dad was not the best person but it still hurt to watch the man get taken away in shackles. Walking back into his house, he went into his room to grab his weapon and the supplies he’d need for the adventure. Jackson polished the navy blue crystalline barrel of his squirt gun and grabbed a few vials of his specialty poison he had been crafting. Holstering his weapons, Jackson walked out of his house with his hands roaming over his squirt gun in a circling pattern as he walked towards the castle. 

The castle felt daunting, the white walls had veins of sapphire that ran along with them. Taking a deep breath, he continued walking towards his destination. He walked towards the guard gate and was surprised to find princess Martin already there waiting for him. She had always looked beautiful to him but seeing her this close in person she seemed more ordinary than most of the royalty did. Her harpoon was strapped to her back, red hair cascaded down and covered her shoulders. A small dagger made out of shells was strapped to her waist and she had adorned a cobalt blue cloak that made her look more like an assassin than a princess.

“Are you ready to go on our quest, miss princess” Jackson goaded her, his arms were across his chest as he stared her down.

“My name is Lydia and you ever talk to me like that again you’ll see the point of this harpoon faster than your gun will leave its holster. Do I make myself clear?” She said as she looked him dead in the eyes, her stare holding more fire than the sun above the Ruby kingdom.

“Crystal.” Jackson gulped as he turned to walk beside Lydia.

***

Stiles was beyond done with the sea, the seaweed and algae were just not bringing him as much joy as the woodland flowers were at the beginning of his quest. The sea serpents that kept coming close to their little boat weren’t making him feel much better either. Derek didn’t seem to like the sea very much either, judging from the scowl that had almost become a permanent fixture on his face since they set sail. He missed the dreamy smile on Derek’s face from when they kissed and he wanted more. 

“So about that date,” Stiles smirked as Derek turned to look at him, the scowl stating to dissipate into a smile.

“Why don’t we meet with the ambassador from the Sapphire queendom before we talk about a nice dinner together.” Derek smiled as he walked towards Stiles, slipping his arm around Stiles’ shoulder and kissing his forehead.

“You’re just lucky that I like you otherwise I can be pretty impatient.” Stiles shook his head and leaned up to kiss Derek lightly on the lips.

“If you can wait just a little while longer, I promise to make it worth your time, my little sprout.” Derek gave Stiles another chaste kiss before walking back to the front of the boat to look for any sight of land.

***

“What is taking them so long, I thought you said that we are supposed to be going on a quest with people from the Emerald and Ruby.” Jackson was fuming, he kept shaking his hands out, his eyes were wide as he scanned the horizon for ships coming towards the docks. 

“Relax Jax, they’ll be here soon enough.” Lydia chided as she kept a watchful eye on the horizon.

A small ship floated along the horizon as it headed towards the harbor, a leaf covered in fire adorned the sail of the dinghy. Lydia and Jackson starred at the boat as it came closer to them until it docked in the port.

“Ready to meet who we have to work with for however long this takes,” Jackson sighed as he stood up to head towards their new companions. Lydia followed him silently after giving a thorough eye roll. 

“So are you the ambassadors from Ruby and Emerald?” Jackson folded his arms across his chest as he looked down at the two guys below him.

“Yes we are, my name is Stiles and the big guy here is Derek. I’m assuming you two are the ambassadors from Sapphire. Your queendom is very beautiful.” The smaller one with the flower crown said. His smile was directed towards Derek as Derek lifted him out of the dinghy. 

“Lovely to meet you both. I’m Lydia and this is Jackson,” she gestured towards to the guy on her left. “Would you two want to set sail again later today to get to our next destination or rest up in our queendom and set sail tomorrow.” Lydia curtsied and held out her hand to both of them.

“We would like to stay here for the night, I believe I owe my mischievous sprout a date and we would like to rest up before sailing again.” Derek smiled as he rested his hand on Stiles lower back, Stiles face as bright red as he turned into Derek’s embrace.

“Alright, well, in that case, we’ll let you two explore the market area and the cuttlefish inn should have a free room for you to stay in courtesy of the queen. We will meet back up with you two here at sunrise and set sail for the kingdom of Gold.” Lydia said before turning away and walking towards the castle.

“So where do you want to whisk me off to first, now that we’ve met Lydia and Jackson,” Stiles smirked as he intertwined his fingers with Derek’s.

“Let’s do a little sightseeing.” Derek grinned as he started walking towards the market square. 

***

The city was beautiful but nothing could compare to Stiles. Derek felt like he was in freefall whenever he looked down at the smile plastered to Stiles’ face, the flower crown atop his head was fragrant and in full bloom. Honey and fresh roses permeated the air surrounding his gorgeous mate. Derek leaned down and kissed Stiles’ forehead and watched the blush bloom across Stiles’ face. 

As the sun set into the horizon, Derek walked with Stiles into a small little restaurant next to the inn they were staying at. The light blue furniture accented the mural of the sea that was canvassed across the walls, he walked hand-in-hand with Stiles as they made their way to an open table towards the back of the restaurant. A waiter came by with water as they looked over the small menu to decide what they wanted to try. 

“So what would you want, my honeysuckle?” Derek whispered as he brushed his fingers over Stiles’ knuckles, rubbing small circles across his skin. 

“I’m thinking about eating this vegetable dish, it has a lot of crops found in the queendom that I want to try. What are you going to eat Der?” 

“The seafood pasta, I really want to try some of the fish because that’s what they’re known for here.”

They sat in companionable silence as they waited for and ate their meals. After paying for their lovely meal they headed back to the inn and rested up for their long trip tomorrow morning.


	9. All in a Golden Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slowly, she stood up with sadness and agony controlling her movements, she waded further into the water. The warm stagnant water rose to her hips and then her chest, she was almost to the middle of the bog. Crocodiles sunned on the bank as they watched her movements with lazy eyes, she trudged until the water covered her lips in a liquidy embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get to meet Erica and see a bit of Scott  
> (I promise to try and update this sooner than every like 9-10 days)

Lightning bugs flew around aimlessly above the bog, little sparks fluttering above the murky water in a golden light as the river weeds and bright yellow flowers swayed in the breeze. The humid air attracting swarms of the electrifying insects as their golden shower of sparks painted glittery burns onto the spark resistant flora below them. Erica sat with her toes in the water, her sundress covered in mud and her face was red and puffy from the tears she let fall now that she had time to herself.

Her blonde hair let out its own way of sparks as she let out a broken sob, her engagement ring feeling like a heavy crushing weight against her finger. The citrine gem clung to her finger and shined like fire in the evening sun, she hated that her family had forced her into an arranged marriage to help relieve tension between the Gold kingdom and the Citrine fort. While she knew their empire was much larger than Citrine’s, the fort just simply had a stronger military than they did and if a war was waged Gold would lose quickly. 

Her marriage to Scott McCall wasn’t what she wanted, she hated being a princess. She wanted to govern her own life and not the Kingdom. Erica wept as she thought about Boyd, the guards had caught them being intimate and with her father’s words, Boyd was executed within days. She could never walk through the market square anymore, afraid to see the grandmother who solemnly sold trinkets as she wept about the loss of her grandson.

Slowly, she stood up with sadness and agony controlling her movements, she waded further into the water. The warm stagnant water rose to her hips and then her chest, she was almost to the middle of the bog. Crocodiles sunned on the bank as they watched her movements with lazy eyes, she trudged until the water covered her lips in a liquidy embrace. 

Her breathing was even as she took small inhales through her nose, gathering up her strength as she prepared herself to plunge into the depths of the water below. Erica kicked her feet slowly, keeping her face just above the water as she stared up at the sun setting above her. Taking her last glimpses of daylight in a world she no longer wanted to live in. 

Lightning bugs flew in swarms around her, the sparks lending her calmness as she let herself descend into the depths below. Her eyes looking up as the water swallowed her, the frigid waters of the deep contrasted to the burning she could feel in her lungs. She watched as the bubbles of air rushed to the surface, a blurry image of Boyd hanging above them in the fading light.

Excitement panged inside her, She gasped out beneath the water as she kicked herself up to the surface, sputtering water as she breathed in the humid air. She rubbed her eyes cleaning out the water as she searched for Boyd. The cold fabric of her dress making her shiver in the dusk, she quickly made her way back to the shore as she sent a wave of sparks around her to scare off any predators nearby. 

Erica walked slowly back to the golden palace she begrudgingly called home as she let her mud covered and soaked dress get torn by the thorn bushes she passed through to get to the bog. The burning pain from the cuts relieving some of the emotional turmoil she felt as she continued to walk home. 

The castle was brightly lit by the torches, she could smell the royal feast being made and knew she had to get dressed and ready for the preparatory dinner for the official engagement ceremony tomorrow evening when she’d have to wed a man she would never love. With a quiet sigh and a brush of her blonde hair, she levitated herself up to her room by controlling her internal magnetism. 

Her blonde hair flowing in the gentle breeze as she entered the top floor of the palace. Gliding into her room, she deposited her sundress in the laundry area for the maids and then put on an evening gown and pulled her hair into a bun as she made her way down to the royal dining area.

She groaned at the sound of Scott’s laugh, she hated seeing him because she knew she’d never love him, no matter how friendly he was towards her. She crept down the stairs to not alert her family, she silently slid into her spot as everyone seemed distracted with their pleasantries. 

“There’s my lovely daughter, so nice of you to join us.” Her dad chided as he rolled his eyes at her. His immaturity washing against her in waves that made her skin crawl. 

“Lovely to be here, Father.” She smirked as she began to adjust her napkin across her lap in preparation of dinner.

“Princess Erica,” Scott smiled his voice obnoxiously sweet, “It’s so lovely to see my betrothed so soon to our engagement ceremony.” Something about his smile made Erica feel wary, this all seemed too pleasant of an exchange. She knew her place though and it seemed like a dumb dame would confuse both her father and finance. 

“I’m so delighted to see you too, prince Scott,” She smiled as fakely as she could hoping the two buffoons in front of her wouldn’t notice. “I’m so sorry you have to see me like this if I had known we had company over I would’ve dressed much more appropriately.” She feigned an apology.

“Yes well this is why I’m glad to have you married to prince McCall then a man can rule over our kingdom again and your ditsy attitude won’t endanger the kingdom for a few decades.” Her dad said as he gestured for a toast from Scott which the other gladly raised his glass as well as they finished their glasses of wine. 

Erica tapped her fingers against her lap, she wanted to gut the two men in front of her. If her mother was still alive she wouldn’t have put up with any of her dad’s nonsense. She polished her dagger underneath the table as she patiently waited for dinner to be served so the two men at the table could gorge their mouths with something other than sexist comments.

The smell of the feast being brought out was the light of Erica’s day. She could see at least one of her favorite foods so she guessed the feast wouldn’t be awful now that she could eat some of her favorite meal.

“Now that the food is here, I would like to announce Prince McCall of the Citrine fort and Princess Erica of the Gold kingdom are officially engaged. Prince McCall, invite you to stay with us as we make arrangements for you two to be wed within a week. May peace prosper between our two territories.” The king, her dad, toasted to their table as Erica’s appetite dissipated with each word her father announced to the dining area.

She immediately wished she didn’t rise to the surface of the bog earlier, death would have been a better jailer than this hell she was living. She let out a silent sob in the cheery atmosphere of the royal dining room, her world falling apart more than she thought it ever could.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos appreciated :D


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